The questions I’m most often asked are “How do I get started as a Business Analyst?” or “I’m already a BA.  What’s the next step in my career?”.

For those who want to start a career as a Business Analyst, the first thing to do is to understand what BA work are you already doing in your current role.  Most people have more transferable skills than they realize.

The question about the next step in your career is a bit more difficult.  The Business Analyst career path isn’t a straight line.  It has many branches and options.

Where you go depends on whether or not you want to manage people and if you’re more drawn to the business or technology.  There are many options and the skills you build as a Business Analyst are critical in other roles.  Facilitation, problem solving, systems thinking, and other skills are just as critical in a project manager role as they are for a PMO Director or CIO.

The key is to understand your options, know your current skill level, what skills are needed to get to your desired next step, and where your skill gaps are.

Listen to the full episode to understand what you need to do to own your career and take it to the next level.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/masteringbusinessanalysis/MBA168.mp3

Own it, network, and give. 

You have to own your career. If you’re not managing your career, then your manager is managing it. And they might not have the same aspirations as you.

You also need to network and give back to the community by sharing your thoughts and interacting with the community.

20 PMO experts. 20 questions. 1 free eBook. “PMO Success: Under the Hood” is your answer to no fluff raw insights that can put you & your PMO on the path to success. Get it now.

You’ll also get a free ticket to the PMO Virtual Summit on October 16-18.  Join bestselling authors and seven figure PMO experts for a 3-day virtual seminar that’s devoted to giving you the skills and insights to become a professional PMO leader and help your PMO achieve better results.

Author and Principal Consultant at Blackmetric Business Solutions

Adrian is Principal Consultant at Blackmetric Business Solutions, providing business analysis consultancy and training solutions to a range of clients in varying industries.  He is the former President of the UK chapter of the IIBA and speaks internationally on topics related to business analysis and business change.

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The post MBA168: Exploring the BA Career Path appeared first on Mastering Business Analysis.